Clinic
Staff contact, student medication, illness procedures, and more
Phone Number
Staff:
- Amanda Croft, School Health Aide, [email protected]
- Julie Peter, Public Health Nurse
Student Health at Cardinal Forest
Health Information Form
The Health Information Form is to be completed by the parent or guardian at the start of each school year. The completed form is to be returned to the school clinic.
Prescription Medications
Children who need to take medication during school hours must have a signed Medication Authorization, Release, and Indemnification Form. Prescription medications require the signature of both the parent and the physician. Inhalers and EpiPens require authorization forms.
Over-the-counter Medications
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are drugs that can be purchased without a doctor's prescription and are used for the relief of symptoms on a temporary basis. With parent and physician authorization, OTC medications may be given on an "as needed" basis throughout the school year. Parents may authorize limited use for 10 consecutive days with a completed Medication Authorization Form. Examples include antihistamines for allergic reactions.
With parent permission using the Medication Authorization Form, certain OTC medications may be given on an "as needed" basis throughout the school year only as a pain reliever for headaches, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, or orthodontic pain. The medication must be supplied by the parent in its original container. Examples include Tylenol, Advil, Pamprin, and aspirin.
Transport of Medications to and from School
Parents must transport medications to and from school. All medications must be kept in the clinic and taken under adult supervision. Middle school children are not permitted to carry medications, including OTC medications, except for prescription inhalers or EpiPens with the authorization of their parent(s) and physician.
Scheduling Medical Appointments
Please make every effort to schedule appointments outside of school hours. When this is not possible, please send a note to the school on the morning of the appointment stating the time the child will be picked up. Children should bring appointment notes to the attendance secretary before homeroom. The student's name will then be shown on an early dismissal list so teachers will know the student is not cutting class. For safety reasons, parents must sign out children in the office.
Release of Student from School
Only those individuals designated on the Emergency Care Information form will be contacted either to excuse or take your student home. If the clinic contacts you to excuse your student from school, the clinic must have voice contact with the responsible adult to dismiss the student from school grounds. In an emergency, 911 will be called prior to contacting the parent.
We will call you to pick up your child if he/she exhibits symptoms of illness such as fever over 100 degrees, persistent abdominal pain, vomiting, unexplained rash, diarrhea, head lice, inflamed eyes with discharge, persistent cough. Children with these symptoms should be picked up as soon as possible. Keep all emergency numbers current. We ask that you notify the health room if your child has head lice, strep throat, chicken pox, or other contagious illnesses.
All rashes, pink eye, impetigo, ringworm, and scabies can be passed among students. A physician’s note stating that your child is not contagious is required before returning to school.
When to Keep Your Student at Home
Students with a rash, watery and inflamed eyes, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea should stay home until a doctor determines that the symptoms are contagious. The Fairfax County Department of Hearecommendsends that children remain at home, fever-free for 24 hours after an illness, prior to returning to school. Please call the attendance line at 703-923-5252 or submit an absence online to report your child’s absence.